Internal-combustion engine.



O. A. ANDERSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 17, 1911. 11,076,807, Patented 0t.28,1913.

0. A. ANDERSON. v INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 17, 1911.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

2 BHEETS-SHBET 2.

Eu/erwan W66. /deusofb, jam L W4 y M OLO! A. ANDERSON, F IBSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERNAL-CQMBUSTIQN ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` Application illed July 17, 1911. Serial No. 638,816.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, OLoF` A; ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State ofl Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inI Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following descri tion, in connection with the accompanying rawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like arts.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for its object to provide a novel engine in which the power is transmitted from the piston to the driving shaft by means of cams instead of by means of the crank shaft as is usually done in engines, and for another object to simplify and cheapen the cost of manufacture of engines of this type; and for still another obJect to provide a simple and etlicient arrangement for advancing the spark.

I will first describe one embodiment of my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a central sectional View of an engine embodying my invention, said section being taken on substantially the line nef-w, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on substantially the line 'y-y, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the cam groove of the cam member developed; Fig. 4 is a side vieW of a portion of the engine; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the Vengine with the exception ofthe cylinders; Fig. 6 is a section on the line afwa, Fig. 1.

ln my improved engine the piston rod is provided with a pin or roll which operates in a cam groove in a rotary part, said groove being so arranged that reciprocating motion ofthe piston rod Will give rotary motion to the rotating part. l prefer vtoarrange my cylinders in pairs with the `Kcylinders of each pair o-ppositely disposed,

and-""toprovide each piston rod with a piston ateach end thereof. I have vherein shown two'such pairs of cylinders and the cylinders are designated 1, 2, 3 and 4, re

spectively, the cylinders 1 and 2 constituting one pair and the cylinders 3 and 4 constituting another pair. The-cylinder 1 has a piston 5 therein connected to one end of a piston rod 6, andl the. other yend of said piston rod has a piston'7 thereon operating in the cylinder 2. Similarly the cylinders 3 and 4 have pist-ons 8 and 9 therein, both of which are connected to a piston rod 10. Each pair of pistons, therefore, move in unison.

The cylinders may be supported in any suitable Way. As herein shown they are sustained by a main frame 11 which is adapted to be bolted to the floor or secured to any suitable support. This frame has at'each end interiorly-screw-threaded sockets 12 into Which the ends of the cylinders are screwed, said cylinders being provided with the exteriorly screw-threaded ends 13 for this purpose. Each cylinder is provided With the usual inlet port to which is connected an inlet or supply pipe 1,4-, and also with an exhaust port to which is connected an exhaust pipe 15, the inlet port leading to the inner end 16 of the cylinder. This chamber 16 is connected with the working end of the cylinder transfer passage 17 which opens into the working end of the cylinder at 18. The in* let and outlet ports are so disposed that when the piston is at the beginning of its power stroke -the inlet port is uncovered thereby to admit an explosive charge to the chamber 16, and when the piston is at the end of its power stroke the exhaustport is opened and the po-rt 18 is also opened, thus permitting the explosive charge which has been compressed in the chamber 16 by the power stroke to be delivered to the working end ofthe cylinder Where it is exploded by anyy suitable sparking plug 19 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Each pist-on rod has fast thereon a collar 20 carrying a plurality of radially-extending pins 2 1 each preferably provided at its end With a roll 22. In the illustrated em bodiment of my invention there are three such pins and rolls carried by each collar 20. The rolls Q2 play in a cam groove 23 formed on the interior of a rotatable powertransmitting member 24, there being one such power-transmitting member `for each pair of pistons. These power-transmitting members are in the form of cylinders which are concentric With the piston rods and are rotatably mount-ed in the frame 11, said power-transmitting members preferably lbeing sustained by suitable roller bearings v reaches the end of its stroke and begins its reverse movement to the left the rolls work in the inclined portions 78 of the groove and thus continue the rotary movement of the power transmitting 'memben l Where two pairs of pistons are used I propose to so position the pairs of pistons relative to each other that when one pair of pistons have reached the end of their stroke and are reversing the other pair of pistons are at approximately half stroke so that the latter pistons will furnish the power to keep the partsy ro.- tating while theirst pair of pistons are reversing their` movement. In the arrangement shown in Fig. l I propose to provide for causing an explosion first in the cylinder l thereby to drive said piston 5 to the right- Fig. 1, and when said piston is approximately at half stroke and the piston 8 has completed its stroke to the right vto cause an explosion in the cylinder 4, thus to start the piston 8 to the left, and then when the piston 5 has completed its stroke to cause an explosion in the cylinder 2, and when the piston 7 has reached its half stroke to cause an explosion in the cylinder 3. Each of the cylinders operates on the two-cycle principle and with this arrangement four explosions will be produced at each complete reciprocation of each piston rod.

The collars 2O must be held from rotation in order to give rotation to the power-transmitting member, and this may be accomplished in a variety of ways without departing from my invention. As herein shown I employ guide rods 87 which extend from one end of the frame l1 to the other and pass through said collars, said guide rods holding the collars from turning and guiding them in their reciprocating movement. These collars may be secured to the piston rods 4 in any suitable way. I have shown each collar as screw-threaded to the piston rod and as confined between a flange 280 thereon and a nut 29 which is screw-threaded thereto.

The frame 11 is preferably made in two sections that are secured together, said sections being designated 30 and 31, respectively, and each section constituting an end of the frame into which the cylinders are screwed. These sections may be connected in any suitable way and as herein shown each is provided at its top and bottom with inwardl ro'ectin n ers 32' having u right Hinges 133 atg theg end thereof', sai)d fianges abuttin each other and being secured together y bolts 34. This construction makes a rigid frame for the rotating parts and also facilitates assembling the parts or dismantling the engine for repairs.

vIn operating the spark plugs I propose to use means associated with the power-transf mitting members, such means operating to` close the circuit through the spark plugs at appropriate times. As herein shown each power-transmitting member has at each end'.

thereof a plurality of pins or cam projections 340 which are adapted to engage a roll` 35 carried by a movable contact member 36l so that as the power-transmitting member. rotates the contact member 36 is given a movement by each pin 340. There are four such movable contacts 36, one at cach'end of each ofthe power-transmitting members. .f Associated with each movable contact is a fixed contact 37 secured to but insulated from the frame 11, each contact 37 being connected by a wire91 to 4the insulated core of a spark plug 19,. The pins 340 are so arranged that as the power-transmitting members rotate each pair of contacts 36, 37 will be closed together at the proper time to operate the spark plug connected therewith and the pins in the lvarious power-transmittingvmembe'rskare so disposed that the eX- plosions in the cylinders will be timed properly relative to each other.

I have provided for reversing the direction of rotation by. shifting the position of the sparking device. As herein shown the movable contacts 36 are all connected to a rock-shaft 44 sustained by t-he frame and which is provided with a suitable handle 45 by which it may be turned, the turning of rigid with the rock shaft 44 so tha'tmo've.-

ment of the rock shaft will move the con tacts 36 in the direction of theinIength. When the contacts are in the position shown in Fig. 6 the power-transmitting members will be rotated in the direction of the arrows a. To reverse the engines it is simply necessary to swing the handle 45 into the dotted line position Fig. 6 thereby carrying4 the contacts 36 into the dotted line position and giving them a new position relative to 'the projections 340. With the parts` in the new position the explosions are so timed as to reverse the direction of the engine, as will be obvious.

Having fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an engine, the combination With a pair of oppositely-disposed cylinders separate and independent from each other, of pistons in the cylinders, a piston rod connecting said pistons, a rotary cylindrical power -transmitting member surrounding the piston rod and situated between the cylinders, said member having an interior cam groove, a collar secured to the piston rod and fitting within said cylindrical member, and a projection on the collar operating in said groove.

2. In an engine, thecombination with a pair of oppositely-disposed cylinders separate and independent from each other, of pistons within the cylinders, a piston rod connect-ing said pistons, a rotary cylindrical power-transmitting member surrounding the piston rod and situated between the cylinders, said member having an interior cam groove, a collar secured to the piston rod and situated within said cylindrical member, a projection on the collar operating in said roove, and means situated within said cylindrical member to yprevent the collar from turning.

3. In an engine, the combination with a pair of oppositely-disposed cylinders separate and independent from each other, of pistons within the cylinders, a piston rod connecting said pistons, a rotary cylindrical power-transmitting member surrounding the piston rod andsituated between the cylinders, said member having an interior groove, a collar secured to the piston rod and situated within said cylindrical member, a projection on the collar operating in said groove, and stationary guide rods situated within the cylindrical member and extending through the collar and on which the latter slides.

4. In an engine, the combination with a frame, of a cylinder at each end thereof, pistons in the cylinders, a piston rod connecting' said pistons, a cylindrical powertransmitting member rotatively mounted on the frame and situated between the cylinders and through which the piston rod extends, said member having an interior cam groove, a collar mounted on the piston rod and provided with a projectionoperating in said groove.

5. In an engine, then combination with a i frame, of' a cylinder at each `end thereof,

pistons in the cylinders, a piston rod connecting said pistons, a cylindrical powertransmitting member rotatively mounted on the frame and situated between the cylinders and through which the piston rod extends, said member having an interior cam groove, a collar mounted on the piston rod and rovided with a projection operating in said groove, and stationary guide rods carried by the frame and extending through the collar and on which the latter slides.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston therein, a piston rod, a rotary cylindrical power-transmitting member encircling the piston rod and rotated by the reciprocating movement of said rod, a spark plug, an insulated fixed contact electrically connected thereto, a movable contact and situated exterior to said power-transmitting member, and cam projections on the exterior of the rotary power-transmitting member for closing the movable contact against ,the fixed contact. f

7 In an internal'combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston therein, a piston rod, a rotary cylindrical power-transmitting member encircling the piston rod, means for rotatingsaid member by the reciprocations of the piston rod, a

spark plug, an insulated fixed contact electricallyy connected thereto, a movable contact, cam projections on the power-transmitting member for closing the movable contact against the fixed contact, and means to shift the movable contact relative to the fixed contact circumferentially of ,the powertransmittin member thereby to reverse the direction o the engine.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a piston therein, a piston rod, a rotary cylindrical power-transmitting member encircling the piston rod, means for rotating said member by the reciprocations of the piston rod, a spark plug, a circuit therefor including a pair o contactsy situated exterior to the vpower-transmitting member, and means to close said contacts by the rotative movement ofthe power-transmitting member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 4

O. A. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

i Louis C. SMITH,

THOMAS J. DRUMMOND. 

